Free Apples!
by MarleneShadowheart
Summary: It's springtime in Middle-Earth as two unsuspecting hobbits make their way into Fangorn Forest. The Ents are usually very hospitable...as long as you don't pick their apples. *A parody of the angry trees from The Wizard of Oz!*


**A plain reason as to why I should never, never, EVER, watch the Wizard of Oz. **

**Disclaimers: I don't own LOTR, Wizard of Oz, etc.**

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Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck ran as fast as they could out of danger and into the mysterious, dark Fangorn Forest.

They both plopped down to the ground, and found themselves completely surrounded by massive trees whose roots covered the ground and branches that shot up so high their foliage blocked out the sunlight above. Everything looked the same on all sides: dark, gloomy, and creepy.

Pippin was the first to speak up. "Do…Do you think we lost them?" he said, clearly out of breath from their strenuous running.

Merry didn't respond.

"Umm…Merry?" Pippin tried, glancing at his friend. Merry sat only a few feet away, mesmerized at the beautiful sight before him. See, it was spring time in Middle-Earth, and these were no ordinary trees.

They were apple trees.

"Oooh, apples!" Merry cried with joy. He leapt to his feet and ran over to the nearest branch, which just so happened to possess one of the biggest, reddest, juiciest-looking apples.

But just as Merry reached out and grabbed hold of the stem, the tree branch jerked away and slapped him across the top of his hand forcefully.

"Owww!" Merry cried, rubbing his hand tenderly. Unfortunately for him, his hands weren't covered by the same protective layer of hair that his feet were.

"What do you think you're doing?" the tree barked (hehe, get it, _barked_? Aw man, I kill myself…).

Merry put on a sad face. "Well, we've been running a long way and I was hungry and…" Realization hit him. "…d-did you just say something?" he asked, rooted to the spot with fear (_rooted_, get it? …I need to stop it with the tree jokes…). He turned to Pippin. Pippin, eyes wide, nodded his head as well, as if to say "yes, I also saw the talking tree".

The tree, Treebeard, let out a mighty laugh that shook the entire forest. He turned to the tree on his right. "You hear that Skinbark? He said he was hungry!"

Skinbark cackled. "Hah! He was hungry?" he snarled, as if it were the funniest thing he had ever heard. Trees don't get out much.

"Well, how would you like to have someone come along and pick something off of you?" Treebark scowled, shaking his leaves with anger.

"Oh dear…" muttered Merry, wringing his hands and turning to his companion. "I keep forgetting we're not in the Shire anymore."

Pippin placed a hand on Merry's shoulder. "Come along Merry, you don't want any of _thoooose_ apples," he said, raising his eyebrows.

Treebeard narrowed his black eyes. "What's wrong with my apples?" he growled, the forest getting deathly silent as it all seemed to wait in suspense.

Pippin shook his head. "Oh no, it's just that my friend here doesn't like little green worms!"

That ruffled his leaves. Treebark roared. "Why I oughta...!" He reached out his branches and attempted to strangle the youths, a very hard task since trees don't have fingers.

Merry and Pippin scampered a small distance away where it was safe, and watched with pleasure as the plant writhed and shook, desperately trying to get a hold of them.

Pippin grinned. "I'll show you how to get free apples. Watch this!" He bent down, unfastened his belt, and broadcasted a full moon towards the enemy, causing Treebeard to bellow soooo loud that Mount Doom erupted hundreds of miles away.

Treebeard, more ticked than ever, regained the strength he had in his youth over a hundred years ago and began throwing apples at the young hobbits.

Merry and Pippin cheered in delight as fruit seemed to fall from the sky. "Quick Merry; grab as many apples as you can!" shouted Pippin, gathering them in the folds of his shirt.

Merry did as he was told, and soon, the two of them were fleeing out of Fangorn Forest as fast as they could, carrying as many apples as they could carry.

And that's how you get free apples.

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**And now I'm hungry for apples! :3  
Please R&R, Subscribe, Read, and enjoy! (But not in that specific order!)**


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